Clare Brown, Chief Executive of the Infertility Network UK (I N UK) is to be presented with the World Fertility Awareness Month Lifetime Achievement Award at the occasion of the 23rd annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) on Saturday 30 June. This award is presented at the ESHRE conference each year and has historically gone to very eminent clinicians working in the sector.

Sue Garfitt, Chair of Infertility Network UK congratulated Clare on her award saying, “Clare has worked tirelessly on behalf of those with fertility problems over the years and thoroughly deserves this recognition for all she has done. She provides inspirational leadership to the team at I N UK and under her direction the charity has helped many thousands of people by providing a wide range of services to help and support them.”

Clare, a former infertility patient herself, is honoured to receive this award. “I see it as not only recognition of my work with Infertility Network UK as a patient campaigner in the UK, but also as recognition of the importance, value, hard work and dedication of infertility patient organisations worldwide”

Clare went on to say “I and all my colleagues at I N UK will continue to provide information and support to those who experience difficulties in conceiving and to raise awareness of their needs. I am also determined that we should continue the campaign to end the appalling inequality of NHS fertility treatment in the UK and will continue my work to this end until we see a fair and equitable service of treatment available to patients irrespective of where they live.”

Clare Brown has more than 20 years of experience in the area of fertility treatment. She worked for CHILD since 1989 as Executive Director (and before that served on their Board as a volunteer) and then became Chief Executive of Infertility Network UK in 2003 when CHILD and iSSUE merged. In 2002 she joined the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA). Ms. Brown is also President of the National Infertility Awareness Campaign, former Chair of the European Infertility Alliance and patient representative on the Management Committee of the British Fertility Society.